1. Field of the Invention
This invention relate to chairs and seats, and more particularly to a rest for knee, leg or foot.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Blood clots, which develop frequently in the legs of the geriatric and immobilized people who are often confined to a wheel chair, are a recognized medical problem. The circulation of blood is poor among these patients and blood clot imfomation, particularly in the legs which, when freed up, can get into general circulation and into the lungs, is a serious problem. To improve circulation there is a need to, as much as possible, keep the thighs of such persons in an elevated position. This is known to improve circulation and therefore offer a reduced possibility of blood clots.
However, to keep the thighs of the elderly in an elevated position is not easily achieved because of several problems. First, geriatric wheelchair patients frequently have little use of the legs and feet and find it difficult to place their feet on a footstool or normal wheelchair footrest and also to keep them there against involuntary falling or slipping. Secondly, there is a propensity for the legs to fall opened at the knees causing the foot to tilt and the body to slide forward aggravating the poor circulation condition. Another problem relates to the need to have foot and leg rests totally adjustable to accommodate various body sizes and also to allow any single user to change position from time to time for his or her personal comfort.
Finally, the full weight of the body compresses the flesh of the thighs and their large veins so that clots of blood form in the thighs and legs. Parts of these clots break off and reach the lung's circulation, abruptly cutting off delivery of blood to segments of the lungs, often killing the patient immediately or causing a dangerous respiratory crisis.
There are some prior art devices which have recognized circulation problems such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,890,004 to Rail which proposes a chair-like structure with cushion support for the buttocks, thighs and lower limbs of a person seated in a cross-legged position.
There are also wheelchairs which include foot rests such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,722 to Murcott which discloses an adjustable combination seat and foot rest. However, the Murcott seat and foot rest, while it recognizes the need for adjustability, does not address itself to the problem of the lack of mobility of leg and foot, and the problem of knee separation and body forward slide with accompanying foot tilt which thereby negates the advantage of adjustability.
A second Murcott patent, U.S. No. 3,325,215 shows a retractable foot rest which, in use, is a "flip up". A third Murcott reference, U.S. Pat. No. 3,123,397 shows a "flip down" foot rest.
None of the aforementioned prior art references are truly suitable for the elderly, highly immobilized patient who chronically suffers from poor circulation, and for whom long hours in a wheelchair is the norm.